🎙️ Show airs live
Saturday: 10:05am-Noon PT
on C-FAX 1070 in Victoria and
on CKFR AM 1150 in Kelowna
🔁 Rebroadcast
Sunday: 1:05pm-3pm PT
on C-FAX 1070
🎧 Podcast
Anytime
anywhere you get your podcasts
This Saturday only: the second hour of "Tech Talk" will be pre-empted by the BC Lions game, but you'll still be able to hear the second hour on both the podcast, and on the Sunday rebroadcast on C-FAX 1070.
Your crew this weekend:
We're joined this weekend by Britta, Ron's Grade 11 international homestay student from Braunschweig, Germany! Willkomen, Britta, und danke, dass du dabei bist!
1) Apple has released the anticipated 27.0.1 bug-fix update, so it's okay to upgrade to the new operating system!
This is Apple's annual new operating system release, and it includes literally hundreds of new features, performance improvements, and security and bug fixes for all Apple devices.
It's huge in size — from 14GB to 20GB on most iPhones and iPads, and up to 25GB on Macs, depending on your model and configuration.
(If you're already on 27.0, then it'll be about 750MB on an iPhone or iPad, and 3.3GB on a Mac.)
Because it's the annual feature update, it won't automatically install; to get it on an iPhone or iPad, go to Settings ➝ General ➝ Software Update and scroll to the bottom of the screen.
On a Mac, click on the Apple logo in the upper-left of your screen, and then click on System Settings ➝ General ➝ Software Update.
If your iPhone or iPad doesn't have enough available storage space to handle this huge update, you can use your computer — Mac or Windows — to help install it.
On a Mac, here's how to update your iPhone or iPad using iTunes:
- Open iTunes on your Mac with macOS Mojave or earlier or on your Windows PC.
- Connect your device to your computer.
- Click the device button in iTunes toolbar.
- Click the Summary tab.
- Click Check for Update.
- Click Download and Update.
- Continue following the onscreen instructions.
On a Windows PC, here's how to update your iPhone or iPad using the new Apple Devices app:
If you can't do this, you can have a certified Apple Service Centre factory-erase your device, and then do a clean install of 27.0.1 and then restore all your apps and content via iCloud. You must know your Apple ID and password in order for this to be done.
- London Drugs will do this for a $30 fee if you'll restore from iCloud backup yourself, or $60 if you want them to do it all.
- Jump+ will do this for $20 if you do your iCloud backup yourself, or $40 if you want them to do the backup and the restore. If you're going to do your own iCloud Backup (which we recommend), make sure you have iCloud set to backup all your apps, not just some of them! (Settings, your name, iCloud, Saved to iCloud, and turn on ALL switches)
2) If you get a phone call from your bank or credit union about a problem with your account, it's very likely going to be a scam
A Victoria resident named Jeff contacted me this week to say that he'd found $40,000 missing from his Coast Capital bank account, and when he contacted the credit union, after investigating, they would only return $9,000, because that's all they could recover from the scammers.
He'd lost the other $31,000, they told him, because he'd done several things that he never should have done.
While Jeff was checking his account on his laptop, he says he received a phone call from someone claiming to be with Coast Capital savings security department, advising that they'd spotted some suspicious transactions.
Although he didn't have a clear memory of precisely what they had him do, we were able to determine that they'd got him to install a remote-access program called AnyDesk, which is alsmost exclusively used by overseas scammers.
They then had him log out of his Coast Capital account and back in to make sure the 'suspicious transactions' had been removed. When he did this, they captured his log-in info. They later logged back in via AnyDesk and scheduled several wire-transfers to their overseas accounts.
When Jeff next logged-in and spotted money missing, he immediately contacted Coast Capital, and they had him change his password and PIN code. He didn't tell them that he'd let the scammers have remote access to his computer, because he says he didn't realize he'd done that.
When Jeff logged-in the next day and saw more money missing, he again contacted Coast Capital and they froze his account while they investigated. They quickly found the wire transfers and succeeded in getting $9,000 back. The other $31,000 had already been withdrawn by the scammers in Singapore.
We can all learn several important lessons from his unfortunate experience:
- If you ever get a call from a financial institution about a problem with your account, or a suspicious charge, ask for their name and number, and then hang up and call the number on the back of your debit card or credit card. The banks themselves say this all the time: NEVER trust an incoming call from a bank, credit union, or credit card company.
- No matter who they say they are, NEVER get talked into installing software by someone on the phone.
- If asked, never give your password or PIN code to anyone who phones, emails, or texts you.
- If you find money missing from your bank account, when you contact the bank or credit union, in addition to changing your password and PIN, also have them check to see if there are any scheduled transactions pending and cancel them.
- Also have them check to see if your account password recovery contact info has been changed to add a phone number or email address that you don't recognize.
TD Bank has some additional tips on how to avoid banking scams. Please share this, and the tips below, with anyone you know who you think might get tricked…
3) Watch out for scam emails warning that your cloud storage is full and you're about to start losing pictures and documents
These emails traditionally includes lots of bold red text, and often also warning symbols — all designed to scare you so you'll override your common-sense — as shown in this screenshot…
These scam emails all have several things in common:
- They don't mention which cloud service (iCloud, OneDrive, Google Cloud, etc.)
- They don't address you by name, just an email address or "Dear User'.
- They come from gibberish email addresses not connected to any major cloud provider.
The one shown in the screenshot came from…
- …and the button they want you to click or tap takes you to some wierd website address.
if you where to hover your mouse over the Upgrade Storage Now button in the actual email, or hold your finger on the button on a mobile device, you would get a pop up showing that clicking or tapping it would take you to...
This insecure webpage has since been deleted, but it's hosted on DailySelect.shop, which is ia website hosted on the CloudFlare platform, which is nothing but placeholder content…
Before it was shut down, the button took you to a fake webpage offering a subscription to a generic cloud service with 500GB of storage for $19 a year — and all you had to do was give them your credit card info.
If you did, within minutes, overseas scammers would be using that info to buy items online which they could turn around and quickly sell, and they'd keep doing that till your credit card got maxed out, or until your card company caught on and cancelled the card.
NEVER click or tap on buttons in emails like this!
if you want to check to see how much cloud storage you have available, Go directly to your cloud storage provider.
5) Parents and grandparents: here are 23 apps you should know, in case you find them of your child's or grandchild's phone
We often get asked by parents or grandparents about a specific app they haven't heard of, wanting to know if it's OK for their child or grandchild to be using them.
It's not a complete list, but here are 23 potentially-risky mobile apps that every parent and grandparent should be aware-of…
If any of these apps are on the mobile device of a young person in your care, please read-up on the app and what it can do and how it works, and then have a frank discussion with the young person to make sure they're not being taken-advantage of by others using the app.
Tech Deals This Weekend
Refurbished 14" HP ProBook 650 Windows 11 Pro laptop at London Drugs for just $500 — a $300 saving
If you're in the market for a new laptop for surfing the web, emaling, streaming movies, videos and music from YouTube and Netflix and the like, London Drugs has refurbished 14" HP ProBook 650 G5 laptops, which they're selling for just $500.
That's $300 off their usual price
The laptops are powered by an 8th-gen Intel i5 processor, and come with 16GB of RAM and a 256GB NVMe solid-state drive, and are running Windows 11 Pro. These laptops sold new for $1400!
They come with a one-year warranty, and you can buy an extended warranty if you want.
(They got 500 of them chain-wide two weeks ago, and have just 240 left.)
Tech News Of The Week
Items start at #10, so the numbers don't get thrown-off if we add more security items above!
Tip: if an item in these Show Notes has the icon on the right in the upper-right corner, you can click/tap on it to make the additional info open in a new tab.
10) Here are the best new features for iPhones in iOS 27
Apple focused on performance improvements across iOS 27, and everything feels faster, even on older iPhones. Apps launch quicker, AirDrop transfers are faster, the keyboard loads quicker, swapping Home Screen pages is speedier, and App Library is faster. New captures in Photos load up to 70% faster, and the iPhone is better at transitioning between Wi-Fi and Cellular connectivity as needed, resulting in fewer dropped calls and unsent messages.
If your iPhone can run iOS 26, you can upgrade it for free to iOS 27.0.1.
Many new Apple Intelligence features require an iPhone 15 Pro or later, and a couple require an iPhone 17 or iPhone 18.
Below is a list of the most useful new features; at the bottom of this item is a link to a list of all the new features and changes…
10a) Tone down Liquid Glass even more than before
If you've never been a fan of Liquid Glass – Apple's glass-like interface effect introduced in iOS 26 – then there's some good news in iOS 27: Apple has added a setting that lets you finely adjust the level of translucency, giving you more control over the look and feel of your iPhone.
When you first install iOS 27, you'll be presented with a slider to change the Liquid Glass effect, but it's good to know how to get to it later if you want to switch up the look…
- Open Settings on your iPhone.
- Tap Appearance.
- Tap Liquid Glass.
- Drag the slider left for a clearer, more transparent effect, or right to add tint and opacity.
Even at the tinted end, Apple's interface retains a degree of glassiness. If you're not satisfied with the result, two Accessibility options push it further:
- Reduce Transparency strips out nearly all translucency, leaving only flat, solid backgrounds.
- Increase Contrast sharpens the boundaries between buttons, text, and whatever sits behind them.
You can find both in Settings ➝ Accessibility ➝ Display & Text Size.
10b) Messages app now offers contextual suggestions, plus one-tap drawing, and you can remove the record audio icon if you want
Helpful action suggestions
If someone texts you a message that includes a possible action, you'll now see potential actions shown under the message…
Accidental Recordings
If you find yourself often accidentally tapping the Record audio microphone icon when you go to text someone, you can now going into Settings ➝ Apps ➝ Messages, and either remove that icon, or replace it with the Dication icon, as I've done…
Quick hand-drawing
If you want to hand-draw words or an image as part of a text, you can now quickly access that option by tapping on the + at the bottom-left of the screen, and then tap on Drawing in the pop-up menu that appears. You can adjust the colour, thickness and style of what you finger-draw…
Auto-retry to send
When a message fails to send in iOS 27, your iPhone will automatically retry sending it. Previously, you got an alert if a message failed to go, but you had to manually tap to try to send it again.
The Messages app also supports continuous sending of photos, videos, and texts, so if you're sending someone a photo and your connection is poor or you go offline, your iPhone will now automatically resume sending when your cellular or internet connection is restored.
Genmoji
Apple revamped Genmoji creation in iOS 27. There's now an updated interface for describing an emoji that you want, with options to start from an existing emoji, choose an image from Photos, or select a person. And after uploading an image or using a text phrase to create a Genmoji, there's a new "Describe a change" interface for making updates to what you've already created.
There's also now an option to change style, so if you don't want the cartoonish look, you can ask for something else like a drawing or a sketch.
10c) Mail app is now much faster and has much-better Search, and more
Search
Instead of surfacing results based on keywords and recency, Mail app search now ranks results by relevance and intent. Search results that come up in Mail are more relevant than before, so you find exactly what you're looking for. For example, if you search for "pasta" because you want to find a recent order, it'll show your order before it shows marketing emails you might have from the same retailer.
Siri AI
The Mail app has a built-in "Ask Siri" feature: long-press on any email and you can ask Siri to summarize, find an item in the email, track a package, get a flight number, save a photo, and more.
Siri can complete tasks in the Mail app too, like deleting all emails from a specified sender or adding info from an email to your Reminders list. Your iPhone also now flags both typos and grammar errors while you write.
Contextual Suggestions
An email that includes a flight time or a restaurant reservation has a one-tap button for adding it to the Calendar app. An email with directions may let you see the route in Maps, and emails with tracking info can be tracked with the Wallet app.
10d) Phone calls made on an iPhone now include Call Context
When you call a company, the Phone app will bring up relevant info from the Mail app.
If you call an airline, it might show your confirmation code for an upcoming flight, or your reservation code if you're calling a hotel. Call a retailer, and it'll show info abour orders you've placed, including an order number. It doesn't listen to what you're saying, but instead looks at the number you're calling and links it to details in the Mail app.
10e) FaceTime now includes optional Dual Capture
On the iPhone 17 and 18 models and the iPhone Air, you can now use the front and back cameras at the same time while on a FaceTime call.
The person you're calling is able to see your face plus what's shown through the back camera.
You can turn on Dual Capture on a supported iPhone by tapping on the camera flip button. If you only want to show the back camera feed, you can tap to turn off the front camera view.
While streaming video with Dual Capture is limited to the iPhone 17, iPhone 18 and iPhone Air (and forthcoming iPhone Duo) models, anyone running iOS 27 can see a dual video stream on a FaceTime call because there are no hardware requirements for the receiving device.
10f) Photos app gets image Extend, Reframe, and improved Cleanup
The Photos app is one of a handful of apps that Apple paid extra attention to in iOS 27. It's gained multiple improvements to performance, and several quality-of-life upgrades, plus some powerful and impressive new AI photo editing tools that use Apple Intelligence.
Image Extend
Extend lets you change the crop of an image, expanding the borders around content to zoom out a bit or change the photo's composition. It uses generative AI to fill in missing areas, and you can adjust the borders with pinch gestures. Here's what I did to provide more surroundings in a selfie pic of me on one of Victoria's new Lime eBikes on the Selkirk Water trestle…
Improved Cleanup
Cleanup uses new AI models, and it's better at removing objects. The original version was best for small items with little complexity in the surrounding area, but now it'ss able to do more work reconstructing backgrounds with generative AI. You can now choose between Fast Cleanup and High-Quality Cleanup which takes longer but does a better job. Here's a pic of me at the I❤️MTL sign at Port Montréal, and the same pic after I used High-Quality Cleanup to remove me…
Reframe
Reframe can change the perspective of the photo, making adjustments to the angle of a person or object. It draws on the spatial information the iPhone gathers when a photo is taken, and combines it with AI to change the angle of the camera in post-processing. For example, here's a pic of me inside the Mount Royal chalet in Montréal, and then the reframed version which moves me off to the side so you can better see the chandelier behind me…
Save a video frame as a picture
You can now (finally!) save a frame of a video as an individual photo, without having to pause the video and take a screenshot! To do that, pause the video where you want the picture, tap the three dots in the upper-right, and then tap on Save Video Frame as Photo. The picture will be saved in your Photos right next to the video. Here's me doing that with a video of Sofía, our former homestay student from Madrid, kayaing on the Gorge, with the saved picture below…
Apple improved album organization in iOS 27 and added new features for Shared Albums, including a button to show just photos or just videos, and a sure-to-be-popular new option for Android and Windows users to contribute to iCloud albums.
There are two new Utilities folders in the Photos app. Captured by Me includes all of the images that you've taken from the Camera app on your current or past iPhone, while Identity Documents aggregates pictures of passports, licenses, and similar documents…
There are two really useful new Utilities folders in the Photos app.
Captured by Me includes all of the images that you've taken from the Camera app on your current or past iPhone, while Identity Documents aggregates pictures of passports, licenses, and similar documents.
In the Photos section of the Settings app, there's a Sync Immediately option that lets you prioritize immediate iCloud uploads for the day.
With the setting enabled, iCloud Photos will sync as soon as new images enter the Photos Library instead of holding uploads to save battery.
This is really handy if you want to look at iPhone photos on the larger screen of an iPad or Apple TV shortly after you've taken them.
10g) Camera app gets new interface, with your best features pinned to top
Apple’s iOS 27 introduces a significant update to the Camera app, merging an intuitive design with advanced features tailored for both casual users and professional photographers.
The redesigned settings interface in iOS 27 revolutionizes how users interact with the Camera app. A newly introduced settings button, conveniently located next to the shutter, provides immediate access to mode-specific options. This dynamic interface adapts to the selected mode, offering tailored controls that enhance usability. For instance:
- In Night Mode, users can adjust exposure settings specifically optimized for low-light environments.
- In Portrait Mode, the interface provides depth and lighting controls to refine subject focus and background blur.
This approach eliminates the need to navigate through the general Settings app, allowing users to make adjustments directly within the Camera app. You can also pin the camera tools you use most often right above the camera frame for easy access when capturing photos and videos.
A standout addition in iOS 27 is the Siri AI Mode, which uses advanced visual intelligence to enhance the Camera app’s functionality. This transforms your iPhone into a versatile tool capable of performing a variety of tasks. By simply pointing your camera at an object, Siri can:
- Identify landmarks, plants, animals and other objects with precision.
- Translate text in real time, such as signs or documents, making it invaluable for travel or work.
- Generate grocery lists by scanning nutrition labels, streamlining shopping tasks.
- Add events to your calendar by extracting information from scanned materials.
Accessible through a simple swipe in the Camera app, Siri AI Mode integrates seamlessly with other apps, enhancing both photography and daily productivity.
In response to the growing prevalence of AI-generated images, iOS 27 also includes Reference Mode, a tool that uses your iPhone’s unique hardware data to verify the authenticity of photos you take by embedding metadata that confirms their origin. Instead of wondering if a photo was made or altered with AI, Reference Mode certifies that it was not!
10h) Safari web-browser adds grouped tabs, and Notify Me for page changes
Automatic Tab Organization
Safari uses Apple Intelligence to organize your open tabs into relevant topics, grouping like concepts together to make it easier to browse your open tabs.
If you're searching for a new couch while also planning a weekend trip, websites that you open for each topic are grouped together. Automatic sorting can be enabled by tapping on the icon with three lines in the upper right of the display while in tab view and turning on the Automatically Create Topics setting.
This same Safari menu also lets you see all of the groups and filter by topic so you can open just the tabs related to a specific topic while avoiding the other tabs.
There's alsoa new "Resume Browsing" section of the Start Page that lets you continue browsing topics you recently closed or topics you have open on other devices.
Notify Me
Safari can monitor a website for changes and alert you when new info is detected. Apple says it's useful for monitoring when concert tickets go on sale or watching for a product to be restocked.
To use it, navigate to a website, then tap on the settings icon to the left of the URL bar, and choose the Notify Me option. You can type in what you want Safari to watch for and set a frequency and a time. For example, Ive asked Safari to notify me anytime a new movie starts being shown at IMAX Victoria…
At most, Safari will check websites once per hour, with daily, weekly, and monthly checks also available. I've set my IMAX check for daily at 9 a.m.
10i) Apple Wallet app finally lets you add loyalty cards and passes
Apple has made more of an effort to turn the iPhone into a physical wallet replacement in iOS 27, and there are several upgrades to the Wallet app.
Create a Pass
There's a "Create a Pass" feature in the Wallet app for adding tickets, memberships, and more using Visual Intelligence. If you have a ticket for an event and there's not a digital version available for the Wallet app already, you can create one using the physical pass. This replaces the need for third-party apps like SuperCards. Here's I'm adding my Save-On More Rewards card…
You can scan a pass and add it with Visual Intelligence if there's a barcode or QR code, or a pass can be added manually.
Pass templates include Standard, Membership, and Event. Each type includes relevant info like name, location, or admission type, along with a scannable code drawn from an included barcode or QR code that you take a photo of. Fields can be added or removed as needed when creating a custom pass, with options like label, date, membership, contact, coupon code, VIN, insurance, and more, so most physical cards are able to be stored digitally.
AI Bill Splitting
Using the new Siri Mode in the Camera app, or a feature in the Messages and Wallet apps, you can take a photo of a bill and use Apple Intelligence to figure out what each person owes. Visual Intelligence scans the receipt and makes a digital copy of everything on the list, and each person can select what they consumed. Tax and tip portions are also calculated automatically.
Order Tracking
The new order tracking feature in iOS 27 Wallet is designed to simplify the process of managing online purchases and tracking deliveries. Here's how it works:
- You can track orders automatically for select Apple Pay purchases or manually by tapping the "Track with Apple Wallet" button on the order confirmation screen.
- The feature uses Apple Intelligence to organize purchases, shipping emails, delivery updates, and merchant details in one place. It can recognize the merchant, order number, tracking number, and current status, connecting confirmation emails with delivery notices from carriers.
10j) Home Screen lets you add a volume slider
Your iPhone's Lock Screen has built-in media playback controls that appear whenever music, a podcast, or other audio is playing. What you might not realize is that those controls can also include a volume slider that lets you adjust the volume without you having to unlock your iPhone or fumble for the physical buttons. Here's how to turn it on:
- Open Settings on your iPhone.
- Tap Accessibility.
- Under "Hearing," tap Audio & Visual.
- Toggle on the switch next to Always Show Volume Control.
10k) Find My lets you easily temporarily halt location-sharing with someone
Perfect for surprise birthdays and other similar events, iOS 27 introduces a Hide Location option in the Find My app, allowing you to pause location-sharing with selected people, while keeping Location Services active. When enabled, the person from whom you hide your location sees No Location Found instead of your live location, and they are not notified that you have paused sharing. The feature automatically reverts after 12 hours or can be manually turned off earlier by tapping Unhide Location.
How to Enable Hide Location
- Open the Find My app and go to the People tab.
- Tap the name of the person from whom you want to temporarily hide your location.
- Tap the three-dot menu (…) on their card.
- Select Hide Location under the My Location section and confirm.
- To resume sharing before the 12-hour timer ends, tap Unhide Location in the same menu.
10m) Saving the best for last: the all new Siri AI
The biggest change in iOS 27 is Apple's total overhaul of Siri, with Siri turning into Siri AI on iPhone 15 Pro and later models. This has made Siri a viable competitor to chatbots like ChatGPT, Gemini, and Claude.
Once you activate Siri IA (beta), it'll begin indexing (memorizing) everything in your iPhone, which can take several days to complete, and will make your phone warm, and drain the battery faster than normal — but just until the indexing is done.
Once Siri AI is activated, there's an important visual change to be aware of: pulling down from the top-centre of your screen, which used to display your notifications, now brings up the Siri AI box. To see your notifications, pull down from the top-left corner the screen.
There's also a new stand-alone Siri app, with which you can interact, just like Copilot, ChatGPT, Gemini, Claude, Grok, and others. (It'll switch to a colour icon once it's released from beta.)
Siri AI is more knowledgeable, more capable, and unlike other chatbots, able to tap into your personal data in apps like Mail, Messages, and Photos. Apple says Siri has understanding and reasoning that wasn't available before, with four main improvements that change how Siri works.
All of the different Siri functions come together to allow Siri to do far more than it could before. You can have full back-and-forth conversations with Siri, and include multiple tasks in a single request.
Personal Context Understanding
Apple overhauled its search index, and Siri has access to emails, text messages, files, photos, notes, and more. Siri can find content from across your apps, but it also understands that content. You can ask Siri to surface photos, bring up information from emails or texts, or find files, and the Apple Intelligence semantic index behind the scenes finds what you need. Here are some examples:
- Find the best picture of me in Montréal.
- What was that movie Lynn told me to watch last week?
- Can you get me the directions to that place I was supposed to meet Rick tomorrow?
- What YouTube videos did John recommend to me last week?
- What was the name of that restaurant I ate at in February?
- What's the confirmation number for my upcoming flight?
- What do I need to do tomorrow?
- Show me my photos from the music festival last weekend
- What's the lockbox code for our AirBnB in Montréal?
- Find the lease my landlord emailed me last month
- Who did I have lunch with five Tuesdays ago?
Broad World Knowledge
Apple can search the web for up-to-date infor to answer questions about anything, similar to other chatbots. Siri can analyze documents and get information from the web for additional context, help come up with recipes, do party prep, help with homework, give gardening tips, assist with DIY projects, and much more.
- When is the 54-40 Concert in Vancouver? How much are tickets?
- I'm planning a birthday party, can you find me some good cake recipes?
- What's the difference between pine warblers and goldfinches?
- What's the BC Lions score?
- What are the hours for the closest Tim Hortons?
- What's a good substitute for buttermilk?
- What's a 15% tip on $84?
- Help me plan a 5-day trip to Lisbon
Onscreen Awareness
Siri knows what's on your screen and can answer questions about it. Siri can also tell what you're looking at, read text, and analyze images. For example, I pointed my camera at the back of a loaf of Portofino Sourdough bread…
Siri can now also tell you where a photo was taken if there's something recognizable in it, and you can ask questions about any app you're in without having to provide specifics.
- Where was this photo taken?
- Summarize this
- Can you give me directions here?
- What are the best native plant options for a shady spot near my house?
- Does this document look correct?
- What is this?
- Translate this menu
- Explain what this chart is showing
App Actions
App Actions allow Siri to use tools in apps to complete requests. Siri can use some apps on your behalf, including apps from Apple and third-party apps that have implemented App Actions support.
- Write a quick response to this email
- Send all the photos from today to Eric
- Add a 3pm Tuesday meeting with the neighbor to my calendar
- Add these photos to the cat album
- Get me directions to the post office, but add a stop at the coffee shop first
- Move my 2pm meeting to Thursday
Privacy
Apple's Siri features run on-device and on cloud servers using Private Cloud Compute. Your data is not accessible to Apple or third parties.
iOS 27 also includes an optional new Impersonation Risk Detection feature and we recommend you turn it on.
Impersonation Risk Detection helps protect you from scams by detecting suspicious activity in real-time. It analyzes info about your device and Apple Account to assess the risk of an active scam, returning a risk level (Unknown, Medium, or High) to the app. Supported apps can request a risk assessment when performing actions that may be risky, such as making a payment or changing critical security settings. The feature is available in apps that support it and can be enabled in the Settings ➝ Privacy & Security ➝ Impersonation Risk Detection section.
Here is the MacRumors.com mega-guide to all the more than 250 new features in iOS 27…
MacRumors
iOS 27 Features: The Ultimate Mega Guide
When iOS 27 first came out back in June, we started working on a series of in-depth feature guides and how tos that go through all of the updates in Apple's new software. Our ultimate guide aggregates all of our iOS 27 coverage, and it is useful for iPhone and iPad users new to iOS 27 or those who might want a recap on what's included. We've organized it by feature to make it easy to find what you're looking for.
11) Here are the best new features for iPad users in iPadOS 27
Apple's new iPadOS 27.0.1 can be installed as a free upgrade on these iPads:
- iPad Pro (4th generation and later, M1 and later)
- iPad Air (4th generation and later, M2 and later)
- iPad (9th generation and later, A16)
- iPad mini (6th generation, A17 Pro)
We'll cover these in more detail next weekend, when Victoria Mac and iOS Users Group Program Director Charles Martin is with us, but if you're updating your iPad in the meantime, here are the best new features in iPadOS 27.0.1…
12) If you have a Mac, here are the best new features in macOS 27 Golden Gate
Apple's powerful new macOS 27 operating system is a free upgrade for these devices:
- MacBook Neo (2026)
- MacBook Air with Apple silicon (2020 and later)
- MacBook Pro with Apple silicon (2020 and later)
- iMac with Apple silicon (2021 and later)
- Mac mini with Apple silicon (2020 and later)
- Mac Studio (2022 and later)
- Mac Pro with Apple silicon (2023)
Again, we'll cover these in more detail next weekend when Charles Martin is with us, but if you're updating your Mac in the meantime, here are the best new features in macOS Golden Gate 27.0.1…
13) If you have an Apple Watch, here are the best new features watchOS 27…
Apple's new watchOS 27 requires iPhone 11 or later or iPhone SE (2nd generation or later) with iOS 27 and one of the following Apple Watch models:
- Apple Watch SE 3
- Apple Watch Series 9 or later
- Apple Watch Ultra 2 or later
Again, we'll cover these in more detail next weekend when Charles Martin is with us, but if you're updating your Apple Watch in the meantime, here are the best new features in watchOS 27.0.1…
14) Microsoft has released the annual big update for Windows 11, this one code-named 26H2
There are no major visual changes in this annual update; 26H2 is focussed on performance enhancements and tighter security. You can make the Start Menu larger or smaller, and you can once again change the location of the Taskbar, but that's about it.
The 26H2 update is quite small in size — about 175MB — because it's what's called an 'enablement update'.
The actual changes were delivered in a suspended state along with other updates over the pas few months, and this 26H2 update 'activates' them.
To get the 26H2 Windows 11 Update, go to Settings ➝ Windows Update ➝ Check for Updates.
If you aren't offered 26H2, it means Microsoft doesn't have enough info on the particular specifications of your computer, and is holding-off offering it until it gathers more telemetry on any problems.
Windows Experience Blog
How to get the Windows 11 2026 Update
Windows powers how people around the world work, learn, create, and connect every day. Today, we're announcing the availability of the Windows 11 2026 Update, also known as Windows 11, version 26H2. Built on the same servicing foundation as recent Wi
15) Google and Samsung have both raised the prices of their current phone models here in Canada by $150 to $250
Following the lead of Apple which raised iPhone prices with its new iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max models, Samsung and Google have both quietly hiked the prices of their latest models, as the phone makers try to recoup some of the higher cost of storage and memory components which are being driven ever higher by the demands from AI data centres.
In Samsung's case, the biggest increase is on the 1TB Galaxy S26 Ultra, which is now $250 more expensive. Every other S26 and S26+ model has increased by $150.
Here are Samsung's before-and-after prices here in Canada:
- Galaxy S26 256GB 6.3″: $1,249.99 → $1,400 (+$150)
- Galaxy S26 512GB 6.3″: $1,529.99 → $1,680 (+$150)
- Galaxy S26+ 256GB: $1,529.99 → $1,680 (+$150)
- Galaxy S26+ 512GB: $1,809.99 → $1,960 (+$150)
- Galaxy S26 Ultra 256GB: $1,899.99 → $2,050 (+$150)
- Galaxy S26 Ultra 512GB: $2,179.99 → $2,330 (+$150)
- Galaxy S26 Ultra 1TB: $2,599.99 → $2,850 (+$250)
The newer Galaxy S26 FE appears to have avoided the increases. The 128GB model remains priced at $1,050, while the 256GB model is $1,190.
Google, meanwhile, has raised the price of its new Pixel 10a phone here in Canada.
The Pixel 10a now costs $849 — $170 more than the $679 launch price. Notably, the 10a was on sale as low as $529 just weeks ago. And it’s not just Canada — the Pixel 10a now costs $100 more in the USA.
It’s a frankly egregious price hike for a number of reasons. For one, the A-series Pixel devices were Google’s more affordable option, so jacking up the price by this much hurts even more.
But worse, the Pixel 10a is effectively the same as the 9a. We’re talking same screen, same chip (the aging Tensor G4 at that!), same memory and storage, same cameras, same battery. $850 for what’s essentially a phone from 2025 is insane.
16) Here's another example of just how much SSD prices have skyrocketed because of AI data centres
We've been saying for more than a year now that the insatiable appetite for memory for AI data-centres has been spiking prices at the consumer level, and here's another example…
London Drugs has put Samsung's superb 2TB T7 external solid-state-drive on sale this weekend for 'just' $600 — a $150 saving…
A year ago, that same T7 SSD could be had for just $199 CAD!
- DRAM prices have risen 90–100% quarter‑over‑quarter in early 2026 due to AI datacentre demand.
- HBM (High Bandwidth Memory) supply is fully sold out for 2026, with spot prices 4–5× long‑term contract levels.
- AI datacentres are consuming ~70% of high‑end DRAM output in 2026.
- DRAM prices are estimated to have risen over 400% from 2024 to 2026.
This is not a temporary spike — it’s a structural shortage caused by AI accelerators absorbing fabrication capacity.
Analysts expect peak pricing in 2026 and 2027, with DRAM ASPs around $10/GB for server memory. Prices are unlikely to fall meaningfully during this period because:
- HBM production is fully committed.
- Hyperscalers have locked in multi‑year long‑term agreements.
- Fabrication capacity is still being reallocated toward HBM.
Analysts are forecasting prices to start to moderate in 2028 as new DRAM supply comes online and memory‑efficient architectures improve.
17) If you have a Samsung or Moto flip-folding phone, Android Auto is not allowing you to make calls unless the phone is open
Google, Samsung, and Motorola are tring to find the source of a recent bug which is preventing people with Samsung Galaxy Z Flip and Moto Razer Flip phones from making calls in their vehicle via Android Auto, unless their phone is flipped open.
According to user reports, calling works just fine when the phone is open. However, if you attempt to make an outgoing call while the phone is folded, Gemini will inform you that it is calling the contact, but the call is never initiated. The common theme among the reports is that calling wasn’t an issue until Gemini replaced Google Assistant.
18) New GoogleBook laptops will be availabe starting tomorrow; they're like ChromeBooks but more powerful with Android apps
Googlebooks are new type of laptop — more powerful than Chromebooks, but cheaper than laptops running Windows 11.
They run a new type of operating system — GooglebookOS — which is a souped-up version of the Android operating system found on phones and tablets.
Googlebooks enter the market as a unified front with products from all five major laptop brands: Acer, Asus, Dell, HP, and Lenovo.
They'll be available starting Sunday in the typical range of form factors, from 13" up to 15.3" (plus one convertible from Acer), with starting prices here in Canada ranging from $1300 to $1800.
The new Googlebooks are a big step up from most Chromebooks, with a baseline of 16GB of RAM, going up to 32GB, OLED displays, more premium keyboards and materials, and beefier hardware: Intel Core Ultra 3, 5, or 7 “Panther Lake” chips or up to Qualcomm’s Snapdragon X1 Elite.
What sets them apart from cloud-based Google Chromebooks is that they can run Android apps natively, so they can serve as an extension of an Android smartphone by natively running all Google Play Store apps on Day One.
For example, the Continue on feature brings apps you have open on your phone directly to the Googlebook by accessing them from the taskbar. Files, apps, and ongoing tasks exist in both places at once, with seamless transitions between the two and the ability to search across both devices.
19) Amazon has released the Fire TV Stick 4K — a faster and higher-quality new Amazon Fire streaming stick
Amazon has released a new generation of its popular Fire streaming sticks, called the Fire TV Stick 4K, and it's only $80 CAD.
- Fire TV Stick 4K lets you watch in vivid 4K with HDR10+
- Easier than ever to set up – plug into a TV’s HDMI port to stream anywhere. With Direct Power, it’s powered by the TV (no wall adapter necessary).
- All-new Fire TV Remote with an intuitive layout including TV power/volume controls. Search with the navigation ring and jump to specific scenes. Dedicated buttons for the Shortcut Panel, Fire TV experience menu, and Live TV.
- All your apps in one place – Prime Video, Netflix, YouTube, Disney+, Apple TV, Crave, CBC Gem, and thousands more. Easily find what's next from hundreds of thousands of movies and TV episodes, including free, ad-supported content. Subscription fees may apply.
- Smarter picks with Alexa+ – Press the voice remote button and talk naturally to get personalized recommendations for what to watch, manage your smart home, or dive into virtually any topic.
The Fire TV Stick 4K is available at local retailers and directly from Amazon.
Amazon.ca
Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K (newest model), simple 4K streaming, new Fire TV Remote, all your apps in one place, free & live TV, find shows faster with Alexa+
Transform your TV with the Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K, the simple way to stream in stunning 4K with HDR10+. Enjoy rich colors, deep contrast, and sharp details on your big screen. Set up is effortless: plug into your TV's HDMI port and power it directly from the TV with the included USB-C cable, no ...
20) Samsung is expected to introduce Galaxy Intelligent Eyewear smart glasses next month
Samsung unveiled its first smart glasses, called Intelligent Eyewear, a few months ago and detailed them during its most recent Galaxy Unpacked event. While the company revealed the device would go on sale later this year, a specific launch date was not mentioned. Now, that information has surfaced.
Samsung is now expected to launch its Intelligent Eyewear line in November in partnership with Gentle Monster, Google, and Warby Parker. The glasses feature an onboard camera, microphones, and loudspeakers, and they run Google's Android XR operating system.
They also include Gemini, Google's AI-powered digital assistant that can see what you see using the camera and hear your voice and surroundings to help you complete tasks.
Because smart glasses face growing privacy concerns, Samsung added two LED status indicator lights to the device. These light up whenever the camera is active so people nearby know when they are being recorded. If a user covers these LED lights, the camera automatically disables itself.
Samsung's Intelligent Eyewear feature a lightweight design, weighing 5 grams less than the Ray-Ban Meta glasses, which currently occupy a 94% global market share. They're expected to sell for somewhere between $500 and $650 CAD.
21) PlayStation has launched a free ad-supported TV platform here in Canada
Through Live TV on PS5, Canadians with a PlayStation gaming console can now access almost 100 channels featuring movies, TV, anime, sports, news, and more from the likes of Amazon MGM Studios, Crunchyroll, NFL Channel, NHL Channel, and UFC.
The channels are all free, with unskippable embedeed ads.
Some of the featured programming at launch includes:
- Movies — Resident Evil, The Hunger Games, The Other Guys, Ghost Rider and more, with channels like Cinevault, FilmRise Free Movies by Radial Entertainment, MovieSphere by Lionsgate and Sony One Action Hits
- TV Shows – Community, Deal or No Deal, Fear Factor, Forensic Files, Hell’s Kitchen, The Shield, The Walking Dead and Unsolved Mysteries, Dog the Bounty Hunter and more
- Anime – Death Note, Hunter x Hunter, Naruto and Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon, plus exclusive Crunchyroll channels Black Clover and Box Sets
- Sports – Sports programming from NASCAR, NFL Channel, NHL Channel, PGA Tour and UFC
- News and weather – national and international coverage
- Creator and specialty programming – Hot Ones, Idle Mode and Spotify’s The Ringer, comedy, action sports, gaming, esports, and more
- Additional programming – gaming and esports, creator-led entertainment, documentaries, podcasts, and other specialty programming, including eCLUTCH Americas (exclusive)
Live TV on PS5 is available from the Media tab on the PS dashboard. From there, you’ll need to sign in to your PlayStation account to start watching.
MobileSyrup
PlayStation launches free ad-supported TV platform in Canada
Last month, PlayStation debuted Live TV on PS5 in the U.S., a new free ad-supported TV platform. Now, the company has expanded the rollout to Canada. Through Live TV on PS5, Canadians can access almost 100 channels featuring movies, TV, anime, sports, news, and more from the likes of Amazon MGM Studios, Crunchyroll, NFL Channel, […]
22) The new mechanical Variable Aperture Control on Apple's new iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max phones is getting rave reviews
The iPhone 18 Pro’s variable aperture marks one of the most significant hardware upgrades to the iPhone camera system, offering real optical control, improved low‑light performance, and more consistent depth‑of‑field handling across diverse shooting conditions.
The iPhone 18 Pro introduces a mechanical variable aperture on its 48MP Fusion Main camera, offering four physical f‑stops — f/1.48, f/1.8, f/2.8, and f/4.0 — using a six‑blade iris mechanism for improved low‑light performance, optical depth‑of‑field control, and better exposure handling.
24) If your iPhone is acting-up, you can use Apple's hidden diagnostics tools to try to identify and fix the problem
If your iPhone is not behaving properly, you can use the free Apple Support app to connect with a real person at Apple, and they can remotely trigger diagnostic tests to try to identify the problem.
But, we've discovered you can actually run those tests yourself!
Here are the instructions on how to access the hidden Apple Diagnostic Toolkit…
- Power off your iPhone
- Press and hold both the Volume Up and Volume Down buttons at the same time, and while doing that, with your other hand, plug a charge cable into your iPhone, and keep holdimg down both Volume buttons until an Apple logo appears. Let go of the buttons and wait!
- After a bit, the Apple Diagnostic Mode screen will appear…
- Tap Continue and choose a Wi-Fi network
- It'll then connect to Apple Support, and then to a Diagnostics and Repair server
- Agree, and then tap on Run Diagnostics
- You can now scroll down and choose from various diagnostic tests: Mobile Resource Inspector, Audio for Self-Service Repair, Display Anomalies, Multi-Touch Issues, Face ID Issues, and Camera Image Quality.
- Each test you choose will take a minute or two to complete, and will then present you with the results, and options on how to fix a problem, or to get it fixed.
27) We're compiling a list of our favourite phone apps
The "Our Favourite Apps" list — which will have a lot more added in the coming weeks — is on our home page, and you can also get to it by going to Tech-Talk.ca/apps.
…and finally, our "Sign Of The Week"…
And so it goes…
October 3 & 4, 2026 Show Notes